William a



dilated atatet @wat @Mira rWILLIAM A; SHEPARD, CHICAGO, -ILLINOISI 'j'Leners 12mm No. 105,135, deed .my 5, 1870.

To whom it may concern Be'it known that I, WILLIAM AQSHEPARD, of Chicago,1n the county ofGook andState of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Fountain brush Holder, of which the following is a specification.'

My invention is intended for the purpose of conveying a constant stream of water or other uids to toothbrushes, nail, or hair-brushes, so as to keep such brushes constantly suppliedwith liquid 'when in use; and, to this end It consists -in the use with the brush of atnbe of exible or elastic and pliable material, one end of which Ais adapted to be attached to=a faucet or reservoir, or other source of water supply, and the other is provided with a pocket or sleeve, or formed in an equivalent manner, as hereinafter described, to fit upon the brushhandle, so that water may pass constantly7 from the reservoir or faucet to the brush in .such quantity as may be desired. l

The manner in which my invention is or may" be -carried into effect will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, which represents a perspective view of a tooth-brush, provided with a fountain holder, made inaccordancel with my invention.

The supply-tube t is made of vulcanized India rubber, or of other suitable material, and one of its ends,

Y b, is funnel-shaped, so that it may beslipped over and fitted tightly upon a faucet, such, for instance, as now placed upon wash-stand's-in many instances.

In order to connect the supply-tube with the toothbrush, I make use of ashort elastic sleeve or pocket,

c, of rubber or other suitable material, which is Vce-v mented or otherwise secured to the end of the tube from which the watei` is discharged upon-or into the,

brush. p This pocket is slipped on-the.\brush-handle, which it tightly ts, until the end of the supply-tube is very near or in contact with Athe bristles of the brush. Y If, now, the faucet, with which the funnel-shaped end of the tube is connected, be opened, a constant stream of water will be 'supplied to the brush, and the flow of water can be maintained so long as the'brush is in use.

feet,

l The iiow of water can be regulated by opening the -faucet more or less.

The length of the tube should be -suliicient to allow the brush to be used freely without danger of pulling on the tube, and the tube may be of small diameter, for instance, the size shown in the drawing, which is sufficient to keep the brush amply-supplied with water. v

lInstead of using the pocket c for Aholding the end of the tube on the brush, the pocket can be dispensed with, and the end ofthe tube can be made larger, so as to slip on the brush-handle, in which case ridges can he formed on the inside of this portion of the tube, so as to leave spaces or channels between the tube and the handle, for the water to dow through tothe brush,

ior the ridges on the tube maybe dispensedwith, and

grooves cut in the handle.

. The tube may also be attached to the faucet,'reser voir, or other source of-*water supply, by means of a coupling, instead of the funnel-shaped end b.

I much prefer,however, the fountain brush-holder constructed as shown inA the drawing, as it isinexpensive, can be readily applied to' or 'detached .from vthe brush and faucet, and can be used with a brush or faucet of anyordinary construction.

As above stated, my invention is applicable to nail and hair-brushes as well as to tooth-brushes, and may also be used with bathing-brushes and other like 'arti cles.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which, the same is or may be carried into ef- WVhat vI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 'isv l 'he water or liquid-supply tube, provided at one end with a pocket, tov t upon the brush-handle, and adapted to be connected at the other end with a fancet or other source of water supply, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses. Witnesses:` W. A. SHEPARD.

Gao. GLAPP, t GILBERT TAYLER. 

